Alex Salmond, the politician turned radio host turned stage raconteur, is a hard man to ignore.

But, at times, it’s well worth the effort.

Mr Salmond lost his Gordon seat in the general election this year. Any time out he took for quiet reflection we can now assume to be well and truly over.

Promoting his new show at the Edinburgh Festival, Salmond criticised his party’s ­treatment of former MP Michelle ­Thomson.

Thomson has been cleared of any criminal behaviour in 13 property deals following a police investigation.

She resigned the party whip in 2015 and was suspended. She continued as an ­independent but stood down before June.

Salmond is using his show at the Fringe to talk politics with festival goers (Image: Lesley Martin/PA Wire)

Salmond’s backing for Thomson and criticism of Sturgeon won’t do any harm in hyping his show but what it does for his ­credibility remains to be seen. ­Salmond has chosen to go into bat for a woman who bought properties at the lowest end of the price scale, often from desperate sellers, before reselling at huge short-term profit.

While the former Edinburgh West MP is wholly innocent of any crime, it is surprising he continues to see her as a person of the required calibre to be an SNP MP.